Chimera and the Tower
by Aloria
Summary: Xelloss tells the group of an ancient book hidden in a tower at the top of a mountain that holds powerful spells that could challenge Beastmaster and possibly cure Zel. But Xel neglects to tell them of the danger. A:Z:OC triangle.
1. The Tower

Chimera and the Tower

Chimera and the Tower

BG: Zelgadis's quest for a cure leads him to a tower where he finds more then he expected.

Zelgadis stood staring up at the incredibly tall tower and dreaded the stairs that would be inside. Lina rubbed her chin, frowning somewhat. "Xelloss! Are you sure there's any treasure in this place? It looks creepy!"

"Creepyness hasn't stopped you before, Lina," Zelgadis commented and she glared. He ignored her, simply walking toward the ornate double doors that lead into the tower. The doors looked to have once been wood, but were now so old they'd petrified with age and the frozen air of the snowy mountain top the tower sat upon.

Gourry and Amelia huddled together, shivering, "Xelloss! Are you SURE that there's a cure of Zelgadis here?!"

Xelloss smiled, lifting a finger, "Only one way to find out!" the Mysterious Priest said, disappearing.

Zelgadis heaved a sigh, muttering to himself, "This is probably another wild goose chase and whatever we find here will be useless or end up turning against us." He looked up once again at the immense height of the tower's stone walls. It was a simple thing really, a conical tower with a steep roof on the top. There were windows on some of the upper floors, though they were dark except where the sun caught the glass perfectly and reflected down upon the snow. Xelloss had regaled the group of a story of some strange book that resided in this tower, a book with spells so powerful they could possibly compete against Xelloss himself.

Zelgadis had to question what Xelloss's real motive was behind this. Perhaps he wanted the book himself but couldn't get in by himself? Zelgadis certainly could feel a magical force emanating from the doors. It was so strong he almost felt as if he were walking through water to approach the doors.

Lina frowned, "Hey Zel, do you feel....weird?"

Amelia gasped at Lina and started to say something but was interrupted by Zelgadis's reply, and Gourry simply gaped. Zelgadis nodded, "There's a magical barrier around this tower." Amelia and Gourry face-faulted. "Get your minds out of the gutter," Zelgadis said at the two.

Amelia blushed deeply, "I'm sorry, Mr. Zelgadis," she said.

"I can't help but wonder Xelloss's real motive behind this is..." Lina said, speaking Zelgadis's earlier thought. He simply nodded and placed his hands upon the door.

__

Know, those who enter, that thy soul be in great danger. Zelgadis removed his hands from the door and stared. He looked back at the others, then around the snowy slope. He came to the conclusion that none of them had heard it, for Lina was bashing Gourry's brains- what little he had- out and Amelia was attempting to get Lina to stop. The slope was empty of all other living creatures. The sheer walls of the tower gave no clue, neither did the few barren rocks of the small plateau atop the mountain. Off in the distance, clouds were rolling in, threatening a terrible snow storm for those left upon the rocky peak. The sun was nearing the horizon, casting shades of pink and amber across the snow that huddled in crevices where the wind did not blow it away.

Zelgadis turned again, placing his hands upon the door again, looking at it carefully. No further words of warning or wisdom came to him as he ran his hands over the stone. Carefully, he knocked, placing his ear against the door, listening for the echoes. Instead of echoes, the doors crept open when before they had been solidly shut.

"Wow Zel! What'd you do?!" Lina gushed.

"I- just knocked..." he replied, somewhat nervously. Amelia beamed.

"This place must KNOW that we have JUSTICE burning in our hearts and wishes to invite us in from the cold!" Amelia posed on top of Gourry- who was laying face first on the ground, Lina having given up on him.

Gourry spoke up, "Either that or its some Mazoku." Everyone sweatdropped.

"We'll just think about that when it happens," Lina said.

"'When' she says.. not IF..." Zelgadis muttered and stepped through the doors. Inside was a long hallway, it seemed long at any rate, the end was shrouded in the deepest shadows. The walls of the hallway were stone, just like the outside. Dark grey and unrevealing. Zelgadis felt somewhat nervous, the echoes of that strange warning still in his mind. "Lighting," Zelgadis spoke the word, holding up his hand, a ball of light forming in it. He walked forward a few steps.

"Where did Zelgadis go?!" Amelia gasped.

"What?" Lina spun around to look at the doors, her eyes wide. "H-he was just here!" She ran forward, "ZEL-" she called but her voice was cut off as her back disappeared into the darkness beyond the doors.

"Huh?!" Gourry was once again lost mentally. Amelia grabbed his arm, dragging him into the tower.

"They've disappeared! Mr. Gourry! We've got to find them!" Amelia was frightened, somehow they'd lost two of their members. Once inside the doors with Gourry, she looked over her shoulder, gasping as the doors slammed shut with a loud boom that echoed though out the halls. "We're trapped Mr. Gourry!" Amelia screamed, feeling frantic. She ran back over to the doors, trying to pry them open with her fingers. She turned to tell Gourry to help her but found herself alone. "Mr. Gourry? Mr. Zelgadis? Ms. Lina? Is anyone there? Somebody? Help me!!" Amelia sank to her knees, crying.


	2. Labyrinth

Lina rubbed her chin as she held her light spell up, examining the wall where it looked like blood had splashed

Lina rubbed her chin as she held her light spell up, examining the wall where it looked like blood had splashed. Lots of blood. There was a body not too far away, but it was completely bones with scraps of clothing on it. Lina frowned. "Wonder what killed that person..." she came closer to the bones, crouching beside them to take a closer look. The bones were crushed, mostly in the chest area, seeming to have impacted the wall with incredible force then slid down to its current position. 

"So there're traps here- and I'm all alone. At least my spells work!" That was little comfort to Lina for some reason and she glanced around nervously. "Gourry?" she called tentatively, somewhat reminded of the time they'd had to wear costumes to get into a tower where they'd been turned into dolls one at a time until only Lina was left. She hoped that wasn't going to be the case again.

"Hey! MAZOKU! I'm here all by myself so you can come out and attack me now!" She yelled with bravado. Her words only echoed through the still musty darkness of the hallway.

She scratched her head. "Oh what I'd give for the powers Xelloss has. Then I could just zap myself out of this place... I sure hope this book has a spell like that." She smiled to herself and started off down the hall.

* * *

Zelgadis stopped in his tracks, looking at a wall, realizing the deep crevice in the stones he'd noticed earlier had once again reappeared. "I'm going in circles!" he fumed. "That's it!" turning toward the wall, he put his hands against it, intending to cast a spell, and fell through, landing in a deep pit on top of the bones of some poor sap who'd fallen for the same trick.

The Chimera picked himself up and dusted himself off, glaring around the area. There were other corpses, all of them down to bare bones, all of them apparently having been hurt from the fall and unable to get out. Zelgadis made his way over to one wall, finding scratches on it. "Four... four days perhaps? How would he know?" He crouched down, looking at the strange metal instrument clutched- or had been clutched- in the hand of the corpse (kinda hard to clutch something when you have no muscle or skin left to hold your bones together). Zelgadis picked up the small disk-like object.

"I'd only heard of these...." Zelgadis stood up, holding the disk, turning slowly and watching as the needle moved as well, always pointing in the same direction. "An actual compass," Zelgadis murmured, stuffing it into his pocket then looking down at the bones. "Sorry, but it really doesn't help you much now..."

Zelgadis took a stroll around the pit, looking at the other bodies, finding nothing of use on them. He frowned, looking up. "Rei Wing," he murmured, his body lifting into the air. He didn't realize he was completely out of the pit until the area suddenly changed. He found himself hovering over solid floor in another hall. Zelgadis lowered his feet to the floor and found himself falling, "Rei wing!" he lifted up again and glowered, "Illusion. Even Rezo was unable to cast such a high level spell."

Zelgadis flicked his hair out of his face for a moment, drifting forward to set his feet on truly solid ground. "Something you forgot to mention, Xelloss, there are traps all over the damn place." 

The Chimera turned his eyes to studying the illusionary floor, running his hands along the edge of it, finding razors. He pulled one out, he looked at it carefully, sniffed it, "Poisoned." He tossed it down into the pit and shoved himself to his feet. Turning, he almost jumped back into the pit, his startled yelp echoed though the hall.

He'd not heard a sound, he could swear the place was empty except for himself, yet, now, he was standing face to face with a woman. She had deep green eyes with sparkles of gold etched into their depths, framed by long silver lashes. Her eyebrows were delicately arched over her almond shaped eyes that were tilted toward her slender nose. Her skin was creamy white, a pale shade against her metallic silver hair. Her hair cascaded in straight locks down to her thighs, the ends uneven. Her oval face was framed by her bangs, which fell forward from the rest of her hair, her chin was the only somewhat abrupt point on her, and even it was rounded. Dangling from her somewhat pointed ears were chains twinned by the ones around her waist.

Her body was slender, clad in a black long skirted and sleeved dress with an ivory overdress draped over it. The overdress was loose the hem started just past her hip and trailed down to where her black dress ended. It was belted at her waist with double silver chains and left in angel wings on her arms. The neckline hung down past her breasts, but the black dress underneath had a high collar that ended in a turtleneck under her chin. Her feet were clad in simple ivory colored sandals.

Zelgadis couldn't help but gape at her. "E-excuse me... ma'am..." he started to say but she turned away from him, her eyes empty. She walked down the hall silently, leaving no footprints in the dust. She disappeared into the darkness. Zelgadis continued to gape after her. "She-....was beautiful."

* * *

"GUYS?" Gourry shouted down the dark hall, he was completely in the dark, having no way to light his surroundings other then his sword of light, yet he hadn't thought of that.

Finally it occurred to him to take out his sword of light, illuminating his surroundings with the pure energy. His scream echoed for at least five minutes afterward.

Bones littered the floor, scattered, chewed on, broken, and twisted. Gourry had the vague notion that he might be in trouble. He was standing in a cull-de-sack, a dark hallway on one side, an even darker cavern on the other.

* * *

Amelia stumbled along the hallway, having lost all three of her companions and now the door all within the space of ten minutes. She found herself walking down endless hallways. She occasionally put marks on the walls to keep from doubling back on her track, but could swear that they had been removed somehow for she recalled passing the same pile of bones twenty three times.

"I don't wanna DIE here!" Amelia screamed.

"Then why did you come?" a dulcet voice asked from the darkness.

"Huh?" Amelia looked around.

"You came for my book didn't you?" the voice asked, with an edge.

Amelia quaked in her boots. "I came because Zelgadis came- and he came because Lina came and because that book might have a cure for him!" she cried. "Please don't hurt me Ms. Ghost!"

The voice laughed, a low rich sound just on the verge of hysterical, "I'm not the ghost.. you are. Walking my halls... falling into pits... funny how ghosts follow the rule of gravity. But they're ghosts all the same... I touch them- I can't feel it, I walk though them."

Amelia's eyes watered, "That's so sad! But I'm not a ghost!"

The voice did not answer for a long moment. "Then I must be," the voice responded sadly. "If you do not wish to die here, then I will show you out."

"But- my friends! They're missing!" Amelia protested.

Once again there was silence. Amelia was afraid the ghost had left her alone once again. "Then I will show you to them then I will show you out."

Amelia smiled brightly, "Thank you!"

"Do not thank me. Just leave me in peace."

"You sound kinda like Mr. Zelgadis. He always says he wants to be left alone, but really he doesn't. He's so lonely but he won't admit it." Amelia twisted her cape in her fingers. "You know- I'm a Shrine Maiden. I can put your soul to rest, I can free you from this place."

A woman with long silver hair, wearing an ivory and black dress appeared walking down the hall Amelia had just come from. "Follow," the voice echoed from that direction. The princess ran to catch up with the woman.

"Oomph!" someone said as Amelia fell to the floor, rubbing her forehead.

"Ouch!" she cried then looked up, "Zelgadis!" she threw her arms around his waist, hugging him hard then realized what she was doing. With a startled cry, she jumped away from him, blushing. He didn't even seem to notice.

"How did you get here?" Zelgadis asked.

"A ghost spoke to me and said she'd lead me to you guys and then lead us out!" Amelia gushed, proud of herself.

"She spoke to you?" he looked down at her intently.

Amelia blushed, and felt somewhat jealous. "Yes..."

"Follow," the voice echoed again, grabbing Zelgadis's attention immediately.

"Wait!" he called, "Please- who are you?"

She slowly looked at him, her eyes empty, "Why does it matter? You will be leaving soon enough. Forget any stories you heard about the treasures hidden here. None are true."

"What about the book?" Zelgadis asked, grabbing at her arm, watching as his hand went right through her. "You aren't real..."

"After all these years- I've figured it out," she said, looking dazed, "I'm the one who's been dead." She laughed, though Zelgadis didn't personally find it that funny.

"Amelia could put your soul to rest-"

"And who would guard my book?" she interrupted him. "I cannot leave."

Amelia walked behind them, pouting as Zelgadis's attention was completely on the ghostly woman. _What's she got that I haven't? So what if her hair's longer and she's an inch taller- she's DEAD!_ Amelia thought to herself.

"I just want to look at the book- I only want to know if there's a cure in it-"

"A cure for what? Cancer? The common cold? Boy, don't bother me with trivialities," the ghost snapped at the Chimera.

"NO! I want to be human again! Look at me! I'm a complete freak!" Zelgadis roared at the ghost. The woman-spirit stopped, slowly turning to look at him.

"What are you now?" she asked.

Zelgadis hung his head somewhat, embarrassed for yelling at the beautiful woman, "I'm a Chimera, the Red Priest Rezo turned me into this as a sick joke on my wish for strength."

She looked thoughtful, "Chimera...... they were only just starting study into that field when... How long have I been here? L-Sama, help me..." she murmured, disappearing suddenly.

"Where'd she go?!" Amelia gasped.

"Only- only just starting..." Zelgadis looked at Amelia slowly, "She's been here for at least three thousand years, Amelia! The technique for making Chimeras is that old, if she remembers..." he shook his head.

"I have to set her free- it's the ONLY WAY for those who fight for JUSTICE!" Amelia cried, lifting a fist into the air. She was interrupted by a loud roar down the hall. Zelgadis picked her up by the waist, throwing her over his shoulder and running down the hall. "Mr. Zelgadis!!" she shrieked, her cape having flown up over her head, blocking any chance of seeing what was going on.

Zelgadis stopped suddenly, "Gourry!" he cried.

Amelia pushed her cape back and peeked out from under it to find the blonde swordsman leaning against the huge corpse of a wingless dragon. He had his Sword of light out and was panting, but looking pleased with himself.

"My guardian is dead..." The strange ghostly woman said softly as she reappeared. "My only companion in this torment gone..." she murmured then started laughing hysterically. "I want you out. All of you, out!" she suddenly shrieked.

"But- Lina!" Amelia cried, but was cut off.

"I'm right here, Amelia. I heard the noise and came running!- well, flying over places. Now which way to that book?!" Lina smirked.

"No Lina- we can't have the book," Amelia protested as Zelgadis set her feet on the ground, helping her adjust her cape back into place.

"Why NOT?! I HAVE to have the book!" Lina whined, "And Zel needs his cure," she amended. "Who was laughing earlier?"

Zelgadis looked around, "She's gone again," he said softly.

"Who has?!" Lina stomped her foot, "Stop being so vague!"

"The Ghost Woman!" Amelia said, "She's been trapped here for three thousand years- or that's what Zelgadis says."

Lina eyed the Chimera, "And how would you know?"

"She mentioned the study of Chimeras only just starting when something happened to her. That started three thousand years ago- or so Rezo told me." The Chimera pondered a moment. "There might not be a spell in there for me after all."

Lina pouted, "But think of what IS in there!"

Gourry blinked, shrugging, "I go wherever Lina goes."

Amelia blushed, "I'll go wherever you go, Mr. Zelgadis... If that's onward or out."

Lina smacked her fist into her palm, "Well I'm going onward, that's for sure!" Zelgadis sighed, looking down at Amelia's wide watery eyes.

"I suppose we'd have to find her body to set her free, wouldn't we, Amelia?"

The princess beamed, "I knew you'd make the right and JUST choice, Mr. Zelgadis!" she gushed. Zelgadis looked up at the ceiling, sweatdropping.


	3. Tricks and Traps

"We have to stay tied together or we'll lose each other," Lina said after Zelgadis explained about the illusionary pit

"We have to stay tied together or we'll lose each other," Lina said after Zelgadis explained about the illusionary pit. "And when you fall, don't grab for the edge...."

Amelia beamed, happy to be tied next to Zelgadis, the Chimera was tied to Gourry, who was then tied to Lina. Zelgadis sighed, "You'd think I'd get used to being embarrassed all the time but no, Lina always finds new ways to torment me..."

"What was that, Mr. Zelgadis?" The Chimera's eye twitched a little and he ignored her.

"LETS GO!" Lina announced, starting forward, everyone suppressed their groans at Lina's over enthusiasm. They tromped though the darkness, lit by light spells from both Lina and Zelgadis. Amelia rubbed her arms somewhat, shivering at the bones sprawled across the floor in places. Zelgadis occasionally checked something from his pocket, gaining Amelia's curiosity.

"Is she mad at us?" Zelgadis asked rhetorically.

"Well... she did tell us to get out and hasn't reappeared since then, so I think she is," Amelia replied. Zelgadis took a chance to look at her over his shoulder then turned forward again.

"Hey- there's that lady!" Gourry announced suddenly, pointing forward. Lina looked and caught a fleeting glimpse of silver hair.

"She was headed East," Zelgadis announced softly.

"How can you tell in this place?!" Lina demanded then gaped at what Zelgadis was holding. "Ouuu!! Gimme that! Lemme see it! Please?!"

"Lina- aren't we supposed to be finding that book?" Zelgadis reminded her.

"But I want that too!"

"Uh- what is it?" Gourry asked.

"It's an actual compass, Jellyfish-brains! It can actually show the direction we're traveling in!" Lina gloated at the blonde, she liked knowing more then him, it fueled her ego. Zelgadis noted absently that they were a good match. He could keep her ego in check just with an offhanded comment about the size of her breasts. "Let me have it Zel? PLEEEEASSSEE?"

"No, because I won't get it back. I know you, Lina-"

The silver haired woman was standing by his arm suddenly, looking down at the compass, almost blankly. "How interesting," she said in a deadpan voice and waked through Lina, much to the red-head's annoyance.

"Hey! Don't just go walking through people like that you-" Zelgadis tuned out the rest of the insults Lina was screaming. Instead, he untied himself and Lina, quickly switching places with her on the rope and started forward. Gourry was content to just follow and Amelia was disappointed. Once Lina realized what had happened, it was too late and they were on the move again.

"There's a pit ahead, walk on the right side of the hallway, carefully-" Zelgadis said as he walked.

"Am I the leader or not here?! Zelgadis! That was a dirty trick you pulled on me!" Lina whined from her place near the end of the line.

"At least you get to have a view of Gourry's butt for once," Zelgadis tossed back at her, causing Lina to blush furiously. Gourry blinked, completely oblivious.

"You know, I'm hungry," the swordsman commented.

"Yes, Gourry, that's the fifth time you've told us," Lina growled.

"Oh? I forgot!"

"And these are my saviors..." the silver haired woman commented as she walked beside Gourry, "A freak, an idiot, a two-year-old in a grownup's body, and a royal-wannabe."

Zelgadis growled at her. "How DARE you call me that-" **CLANG!**

"Zel- are you alright?" Gourry asked, peeking at the blade that had suddenly dropped from the ceiling and landed straight on top of the Chimera's head.

Zelgadis sighed, "Nothing a little healing spell wouldn't cure," part of the blade was bent in the shape of Zelgadis's head. He stepped aside and let Gourry cut it down with his Sword of Light.

The silver haired woman was standing further in front of them. "How could you possibly survive that?" she asked coolly, her head cocked to the side.

"Believe me.. it hurt," Zelgadis told her. "Are there any more surprises like that around here?"

She pondered a moment, her face completely blank. "Even if there weren't I would have to lie to you."

"Why is that?" Lina asked, shoving forward.

"Because, I'm not allowed to." The silver haired woman turned to start down the hall.

"By who?!" Amelia piped up.

"By me."

"Are you just playing with us?!" Lina screamed.

The woman laughed, walking away, "Perhaps."

"I'm hungry."

"WE KNOW GOURRY!" everyone yelled at him. The woman's laughter echoed through the halls once more.

* * *

All four of them were panting for breath at the end of a long hallway of sprung traps. Zelgadis put his hands on his knees and bent over, gasping. His head hurt.

The Silver Lady suddenly stood there, looking down at him. "Still alive?" she looked down the line, "ALL of you?!" she seemed completely disturbed by that. 

"I- got- a questi-ion.. for you." Zelgadis panted, straightening, looking at her then at the three possible directions they could go. "Which way?"

She smiled coldly, "Depends on where you want to go."

"Which way leads to where you are?" Zelgadis asked.

She smirked, pointed to the far left branch.

"Which way leads to where you are?" Zelgadis asked again.

"Zel- why did you ask her again?" Lina poked the Chimera in the back. The Silver Lady blinked once then pointed at the far right branch.

"I asked again because she said she would lie to us. That's one thing we can count on," Zelgadis smirked. "Which way leads to where you are?" The Silver Lady smirked back at him and pointed to the center branch.

"NOW what do we do? She pointed at all three of the routes!" Lina moaned.

"Now- we check the walls," Zelgadis said. The Silver Lady's face became blank once again, but Amelia saw the flash of slight respect for Zelgadis's solution to the problem. "So the passage to you is in the walls?" Zelgadis asked her.

"No," she answered and turned, walking away, disappearing in the darkness.

"I think she's just a little nuts to be playing games like that with us," Lina muttered.

"She's been here three thousand years, Lina, alone. Don't YOU think you'd be a little crazy?" Zelgadis almost snapped at the red-head sorceress.

Lina cringed back, "Soorry!" she sniffed. "I think Zel has a crush."

"Wha- I do not!" Zelgadis protested. Gourry blinked as Lina hid behind him. Amelia pouted and ran her hands along the walls.

"Zelly's got a CRUSH! Zelly's got a CRUSH!" Lina chanted as Zelgadis was about to throw Gourry out of the way and strangle Lina.

Amelia sweatdropped, "Hey guys-" she said, "I found something," her first remark went unnoticed, but her second had instant attention. "It looks like this brick comes out," she said, working at it with her dagger.

Zelgadis moved over to her and pulled out his own dagger, helping her lever the brick from the wall. After a while they gave up. "It just won't budge!" Amelia cried, looking at Zelgadis, "I'm sorry!"

Lina and Gourry were watching silently from behind them. "What? Let me try!" Lina shoved her way forward, trying to dig her fingers into the crack and pull the brick out.

"Lina, that-"

"Shut up!"

"Lina-" Zelgadis tried again.

"I said shut up!"

After a while, Lina growled and slammed her fist into the brick. "It won't come OUT!"

Zelgadis had to laugh softly, "Because it's not supposed to!" he reached forward and pushed on the brick. It slid in easily.

"Hey look guys!" Gourry said, pointing at the opposite wall. It had disappeared. The others moved over to it, Lina about to march in without thinking.

"Lina! There might be more traps!" Zelgadis snapped at her, causing her to stop and look at him. He took a breath and crept though the doorway. He held up his light spell, sword drawn and ready in his other hand. "The ceiling is really high in this place. It looks like just a square room," he told them. They stepped in one at a time until they were all inside. The door slid closed with a thump.

"Mr. Zelgadis!! The door closed again!" Amelia cried.

"Its alright, when we find her she might be kind enough to show us the way out."

"I can show you the way out now if you want." The Silver Lady commented from just beyond the light cast by the lighting spells.

"Who are you exactly?" Lina asked.

The silver haired woman bowed her head, coming forward into the light. "I suppose I could tell you," she said. "I am Canthrea, the Seventh of the Seven Magi."

Zelgadis and Lina gaped. "Canthrea- you were the most powerful of all the Magi!"

"Yes. I was the sensei of the other six, yet none of them could ever reach my level of power. I was the only one to ever attain such power without the help of Mazoku or Ryzoku. The others feared me, and when I created the book, they feared me even more. For in that book are all the spells I know. All my knowledge of magic and its workings, everything from my memory onto the pages of a book. I had hoped, that some day, I would find someone.... Someone with the spirit energy to house this knowledge in, that I could give the book to and I would finally have an equal to my power.

"Alas, the others plotted against me. I had hidden my book away in this tower. None of them could find it, for only I know where it is. They stole into my tower and took me while I slept, casting a spell over me. I believe that my body simply is sleeping, but they could not bind all my powers.. All six of them working together could not bind all of me." Canthrea smirked slightly, "Now I am as you see me. A shadow. I walk these halls... I don't know how long I've walked, yet you say it has been three thousand years... No wonder I'm a little batty. Even I admit it. I envy you for the freedom you pitiful creatures have."

Amelia had teary eyes. "That's so sad!" she cried.

Lina pondered a moment, "What about all these traps?"

"The traps and illusions are of my own making. They are to safeguard my privacy and the book. None- save one- has ever gotten as far as you have. I do congratulate you on that." Canthrea lifted her hands and clapped softly. "I would enjoy seeing you make it further."

Lina smiled sweetly, overly sweet. Gourry sweatdropped.

"So- what about me? Do _I_ have enough spirit energy?" Lina wheedled.

Canthrea smirked at Lina, "I with-hold judgement on you until you reach my chambers." The Silver Lady disappeared into the darkness. Lina grumped and Zelgadis sighed. Looking around he noticed that the floor was made of square tiles. He thought he could see a door dimly off to the left.

"I think there's a door over that way," Zelgadis spoke softly, starting off that direction. The others had to follow or be pulled along unwillingly.


	4. Circles again

"We've been going straight for HOURS now

"We've been going straight for HOURS now! We can't possibly be going straight because this is a CIRCULAR tower!" Lina whined, stomping her foot. Gourry was looking wilted and Amelia was as well.

"Well... Damn," Zelgadis said softly in response. Looking up, he still could not see any sort of ceiling. He made his way over to the wall, looking down at the tiles and walking along toward the next door. They'd untied themselves long ago, having not come into any more traps for the past few hours.

"Double Damn! We've been walking in circles!" Zelgadis exclaimed from the corner.

"What?! How? We've been walking in a straight line!!" Lina screamed at him.

"Come over here." Zelgadis said, squatting in the corner. The others made their way over, looking down as Zelgadis took out a piece of string, showing them that the corner tile was _not_ an exact square, but tilted on one end yet flush against both walls. "The rooms are tilted slightly and the square tiles gives the impression of a straight room but it's not! Damn." Zelgadis put his hands on his knees as he continued to squat there.

"Well then," Lina said, straightening, looking very mad. "Then the only way to go is... UP!" They all looked at her, then up at the dark expanse above them.

"Well, that makes sense," Gourry said. Everyone gave him a long look. "Well- it does!" he defended and they looked at each other.

"Lets get going then," Zelgadis said, standing. "I'll take Gourry. Rei Wing," he grabbed the swordsman under the arms as the blonde grabbed him around the waist and they lifted upward. Lina grabbed hold of Amelia, following.

Amelia murmured softly to herself then opened her hands, a light spell glowing between them as Lina carried her, allowing them to fly and have light at the same time. "I've never seen anywhere so dark before in my life," she commented, feeling scared as the floor disappeared from sight.

"Over there- A hole in the ceiling," Zelgadis said, floating toward it.

Canthrea appeared beside him, "Ahha, the mighty freak has reached his limit of intellect!"

"What do you mean? I figured it out," Zelgadis defended, glaring at her as she simply floated upwards at the same rate as him.

"It _took_ you long enough, certainly." Canthrea continued to smirk.

Gourry blushed deeply, "Woah there, Zel, not while I'm hanging like this please!" Zelgadis flushed bright red as well and Canthrea disappeared, cackling in mirth.

"What're you doing?! What'd you do to set that mad woman off like that?" Lina called up at them.

"Nothing Lina," Gourry called, covering for Zelgadis who was so embarrassed he was unable to speak. The dark tunnel opened up to a large room suddenly. The floor was tiled in a star pattern around the hole they just entered from in the center. Zelgadis set Gourry down and landed as well, huffing, he stomped off to somewhere else.

Lina set Amelia down, though it wasn't the lightest of landings. "What's with Zel?" the red-headed sorceress asked of the blonde swordsman.

Gourry was still blushing faintly, "I think that Catran woman made him mad," he said, shrugging, though it was slightly obvious he was lying, but Lina had the feeling she didn't want to know. She shrugged as well, looking around. None of them bothered to correct Gourry on the Silver Lady's name, seeing as how he would forget again anyway.

The lights suddenly came on, leaving the quartet blinking and covering their eyes from the light after so long in the dark. The room was rounded, like the tower itself, there were the outlines of doors in the walls all around, but there seemed to be no way to open them. Zelgadis was the first to recover from the sudden light change and found himself standing in front of one of the doors. Running his fingers along the bricks and paint, he pondered how to open the doors.

"Ah! You've finally made it to the top, have you? Congratulations. You are the first to survive," Canthrea said, simply appearing in the center of the room, floating over the hole as if it were solid floor.

"So now that we're up here, can you tell us the truth?" Lina asked.

Canthrea paused a moment, thinking, "I suppose I could, considering that you did get past all the traps and puzzles relatively unharmed." She smiled, favoring Zelgadis with a long look, causing him to blush once again. She laughed softly to herself. "Yes. I will tell you the truth now."

"Where's the book?!" Lina bounced from foot to foot like an excited child, her hair bobbing wildly.

Canthrea laughed aloud this time. "Any other questions?"

"Where is your body?" Zelgadis asked.

"This way," she said, turning and walking over to one of the doors on the other side of the room. She pointed to a brick beside the door. "Press that and the door will open."

Zelgadis looked at her warily and she gave him a sweet smile, which caused him to flush yet again. Zelgadis pressed the brick, ready to jump to the side should anything unpleasant come out. Nothing did. He crept into the room, the others following.

"Lookit all the books!" Lina gasped, dashing over to one of the bookcases and carefully prying one of the dusty books off the shelf. The dust covering the floor was thick, and puffed up in clouds whenever someone stepped. The room was once again round with the star pattern in the center of the floor. The majority of the tiles were butter yellow the star dark blues and light greens. The walls were the usual bricks, but were painted a creamy white. Near the bookcase was a desk covered in things as well as dust. Off on one side of the room was a bed with silver hair trailing off the edge.

Zelgadis made his way over, finding Canthrea sprawled across the bed, seemingly asleep. Her sheet was covering most of her body, that being all of her except the top of her head. Slowly, he reached forward, pulling the sheet back. He would have pulled it back further, but he found out that some people sleep completely in the nude, Canthrea was one of them.

He put the sheet down at her shoulders and glanced toward Amelia, Gourry, and Lina. The tiny sorceress was busy ogling over the books while Gourry and Amelia were poking at the things that littered the desk near the bookshelf, completely oblivious to Zelgadis.

Zelgadis looked down at the woman who seemed to sleep peacefully. Gently he shook her, "Hey-" he said softly. She didn't even twitch an eyelid. Thinking back, Zelgadis remembered an incredibly stupid fairy tale where a beautiful princess had been trapped in a tower and put to sleep. The only way she could be awakened was by a kiss from a prince. Zelgadis admitted that he was no prince, but perhaps the kiss would work.

He knelt on the bed slowly so as not to disturb the dust and hesitated. He couldn't quite believe what he was about to do. Zelgadis's stomach clenched with nervousness. _If Amelia saw me do this, she'd have a fit,_ Zelgadis thought, blinking, _Why did I just think that? Who cares what Amelia thinks!_ With that, he swept down, placing a gentle kiss upon Canthrea's lips.


	5. Who Are You?

"Who are you

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

Zelgadis opened his eyes to find himself sitting in a pleasant garden, on a white bench under the shade of a large oak tree. The sun was bright yellow, blinding somewhat. He could hear the sound of the ocean somewhere. He looked down, seeing Canthrea sitting on the ground in a flowing white dress, her silver hair framing her face beautifully.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" she repeated, her eyes wide, "You keep showing up in my dreams."

"I- its not a dream, Canthrea... at least, not the part about us in the tower. We're really there," Zelgadis tried to explain to her.

"You're real?" Canthrea asked, slowly moving closer to him, lifting the front of her skirts into her arms and walking on her knees.

"Yes, I'm real. I-" he blushed, "I kissed you to try to wake you up."

Canthrea blushed as well, but shyly smiled, "Now that's not something that happens every day. A handsome guy like you coming to wake me up." She picked herself up and sat on the bench next to him.

"H-handsome?" Zelgadis asked, looking down at his hand, realizing it was flesh. "If only _this_ were real," he said sadly.

Canthrea reached over, taking his hand with hers, "It could be," she said softly, leaning close to him. He could smell the scent of ocean and roses on her, it made his heart flutter. He turned his face toward hers. His eyes fell closed, he could feel her breath against his lips, then they met in a tender kiss, unlike anything Zelgadis had ever imagined.

He opened his eyes to look at her beautiful face.

And found himself sitting back from her prone form on the bed, Lina crowing over the books still and Gourry breaking things on the desk, Amelia trying to fix them into neat piles. Zelgadis looked down at Canthrea as she slowly stretched, her eyes fluttering open.

Slowly the powerful sorceress woman turned her head, looking over the scene. "HEY! LEAVE MY THINGS ALONE!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, sitting up, clutching the sheet to her chest. The sudden movement sent up clouds of dust, choking Zelgadis and herself for quite a while. "GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" she gasped and screamed again, small bolts of electricity making sure they all left.

The door slid closed behind Gourry as he ran out, the last to leave. The trio looked at Zelgadis. "What just happened in there?" Gourry asked.

"I- I-" Zelgadis blushed, "I- woke her up..."

Lina sniggered, "No wonder she was in such a bad mood! You're usual wakeup-call is a Digger Volt." Zelgadis glowered at Lina, about to protest, but he closed his mouth, letting her think that.

Amelia slipped closer to his other side, "How did you _really_ wake her up?" she asked.

Zelgadis found himself blushing once again, but before he could answer, the door had opened again and Canthrea stepped out in the flesh, dressed as she was as a ghost. She looked at them all for a long moment then threw herself on Zelgadis. "Oh by L-sama.. Its true! You weren't lying!" she sobbed, "You really were here!" she trembled against him. "I- I never want to sleep again!" she cried.

Nervously, Zelgadis patted Canthrea's shoulder, knowing that Amelia was staring at him with wide watery eyes even if she was behind him now. He suddenly felt like a heel, she was only a little girl and he'd just broken her heart. He supposed it had to have happened some day, he just couldn't see himself living with her the rest of his life. Even if he was human again. She was simply too young.

Canthrea pulled herself together finally and stepped back, wiping her face on her sleeve. Once that was finished, she grabbed hold of Gourry's arm and clung to him. "Please.. just... let me... I- I about went bonkers... do you know how upsetting it is to walk through people?" she looked at Lina and Amelia with wide green eyes.

Amelia smiled some, or tried to. "It probably is hard. I'm glad you're awake now though."

Lina smiled sweetly, trying to look her cutest. "You know, it was my whole agenda to wake you up-" she started to say.

Canthrea laughed softly, "No it wasn't, you little witch. You forget I was there the whole time. But... you do have quite a bit of power about you, so, perhaps.... I'll give you the book."

Canthrea dragged Gourry over to another door and pressed the stone in with her hand. "This way!" she called and they hurried after the Silver Lady. They entered a room that was completely empty, following Canthrea to the middle of the star. She let go of the blonde swordsman and put her hands together, whispering softly, then did a quick spin, throwing gold dust on them all.

Zelgadis rubbed his eyes as the light changed once again. It was mid morning and they were standing outside the tower. "Say- where's Xelloss?" Amelia asked suddenly.

"Why- right here!" said the Trickster Priest as he appeared near Amelia, making her jump.

"Where've you been?" Lina asked, jumping at him and getting him in a choke hold, bashing his head with her fist.

"Gak- w-aiti-ng -f-or- you- t-o ge-t out!" the Mazoku gasped.

"My tower is fortified against even Generals and Priests, such as him," Canthrea said softly, making her way up to the double doors of her tower. Zelgadis noticed for the first time that in each door was carved a book. He watched as Canthrea murmured a word, picking the book off the right leaf of the door and turning, presenting it to Lina.

Lina gaped. "Right- THERE?! IT was THERE the WHOLE TIME?!" she shrieked, if there was anything Lina hated, it was having her time wasted.

Canthrea smiled cutely, "Well of course," she replied. "No one would expect it! Its all yours!"

Lina's mood brightened and she clutched the book to her chest then screamed in pain as it burst into fire. All eyes turned toward Xelloss who shrugged and disappeared. "DAMN YOU XELLOSS!!!!"

Canthrea smirked somewhat, "I suppose that's what you get for fooling with a Mazoku." She clapped her hands, disappearing and a puff of gold dust.

"Canthrea!" Zelgadis cried, running up to the door and banging on it. "Canthrea! What about ME!"

There was a rumble, then suddenly the entire tower disappeared, leaving Zelgadis to stumble forward into the empty space. A piece of paper fluttered down from the air and Zelgadis caught it.

****

Dear Zelgadis Graywords,

That's the thing about fate. Sometimes, you've just got to deal with it.

Love- 

-Canthrea

FIN!

Author Note: No, Lina didn't get the spells in the book, and to tell the truth, that wasn't the real book anyway! It was just a clever copy that Canthrea made. The real one- is her tower itself. She'd never intended to give Lina the book anyway. As for poor Zelgadis, Canthrea's 3,000 years of solitude made her just a little bit nutty. Perhaps she'll come back to him someday. Meanwhile, he's going to just have to deal with being heartbroken and swooned on by Amelia.

From the suggestions of my parents, I was going to have Canthrea simply disappear when the book was destroyed by Xelloss because that was what was left of her power and she would just fade away because it was gone. But- I just couldn't do that to her because I like her! 

Xelloss's ulterior motive for sending them to find the book was because Beast Master had told him to destroy it, but he couldn't get into the tower because of its fortification against Mazoku and Ryzoku, meaning that even Filia wouldn't have been able to get in either. Zelgadis was also effected by the aura around the building because of his third demon, but he could get in because of the other two parts that made him up. Lina felt strange because she used black magic, which calls upon the powers of the Mazoku, so she had that taint around her. Amelia and Gourry didn't notice it. 

Thank you for reading this!!

aLOrIa thE MIgHtY!


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